Grissom
Summary Knight-Protector Grissom tel’Delian is an ancient vampire and the last surviving member of the Delian Knights, who protects, serves, and advises the young queen of Mirranor. There is a great darkness within him, both in terms of his vampirism and the burden of an unnaturally long lifespan, but the strict adherence to the code, doctrine and training of his knightly order is enough to keep him on path of righteousness, even if it does little to sooth his troubled and lonely soul. Description Appearance Grissom is a man of noble blood, and is blessed with the same chiseled features synonymous to the men of the von Guildenstern bloodline. He would appear to be in his forties and has a lifeless, ashen complexion; his hair is long and of a colour somewhere between white and steel; and his eyes are usually a striking hazel, but flare scarlet when enraged or experiencing a thirst for blood. Grissom possesses the fit and muscular physique of a military veteran, particularly one used to wearing heavy plate armour. His body is covered eldritch tattoos, a remnant from his rebellious younger days of recklessly dabbling in forces far beyond his ken. Grissom continues to wear the fine elven plate armour and heavy shield, and wield the traditional silvered sword (which sits somewhere between a longsword and an oriental blade), of the Delian Knights which, despite being antiquities created over 700 years ago, have been very well maintained and look as good as new. In addition, Grissom also wears a hooded cape and regalia sporting symbols and iconography that are strikingly similar to that of the Queensguard, a visual reminder of his position as the Queen's Knight-Protector. Accompanying Grissom is a kes'trekel called Murphy. This now-extinct large psionic vulture is a fearful sight, but tends to circle overhead or perch somewhere out of the way when Grissom is travelling in polite company. Personality Grissom is driven first and foremost by his duties, both in terms of fealty to his Queen and in his strict adherence to the code of the Delian Knights, and he always acts honourably, even when doing so is to his detriment. It is through living by various doctrines and codes, as well as sheer stubborn mindedness, that Grissom has managed to keep a handle on the darkness within him, both in terms of his vampirism, and in terms of the emotional toll taken by outliving everyone and everything you know and hold dear. Losing his friends and family to the ravages of time has left a hole in his centuries-old soul, especially his children, so Grissom tends to subconsciously form bonds akin to the paternal with those he travels with, even if adopting such a role is unwelcomed. The fact that time has taken so much from Grissom has also taken its toll in making it hard for him to form lasting and meaningful emotional connections out of fear of having to someday deal with yet another loss. He tends to prefer the company of longer-lived races such as eladrin, which is in part down to the multiracial nature of the Delian Knights, but mostly because they will have more in common with him, and because it will be substantially longer before Grissom must say goodbye forever to yet another mortal friend. Grissom has witnessed firsthand the suffering of those living under a tyrant, and will take it upon himself to champion the cause of the oppressed against their oppressors. Similarly, he can never walk away from someone in need, and will always try to make things right, no matter what the personal cost might be. It is through his devotion to making the world a better place that Grissom can just about live with what he is. Religion While Grissom will actively support a church of any god or pantheon of gods of good alignment, the goddess he both loves and fears greatest is the Raven Queen, for she was able to see past his unnatural immortality, judging him for who and not what he is, and has provided a divine sanction on his undeath. Grissom feels that he owes the Raven Queen a great debt for her forgiveness and he intends to repay it by hunting the undead. In truth, the Raven Queen's true feelings on Grissom or his vampirism are unknown. The sanction of his undeath actually came from the Lady of the White Well, who appeared to him when he were barely a man as he concluded a failed ritual to summon the Raven Queen and who had simply failed to correct his falsely addressing her as such in the exchange that followed. Centuries later, Grissom encountered the Lady of the White Well again and, still believing her to be the goddess of death, accepted her wise council and forgiveness. It is not known why the Lady of the White Well did not correct Grissom, nor why she allows the ruse of him believing her to be the Raven Queen to persist. It is possible that she believes that Grissom needed the Raven Queen's forgiveness in order to perform the great deeds required to genuinely earn it... or maybe it simply entertained her whimsical fey nature to maintain the guise. The fact that Grissom is tolerated by devotees of the Raven Queen suggests that she at least does not view him as an enemy. Perhaps the manipulations of the Lady of the White Well are a necessary evil in facilitating Grissom's redemption. Vampirism From noble to knight A misspent youth The Lady of the White Well Von Guildenstern to tel'Delian The Delian Knights Death in service The War of the Dead Grissom's last stand Resurrection Murphy Dead and not loving it The curse of immortality Monster hunting The Vistani Calliope Returning to Mirranor When a lie is more noble than the truth Fealty Recent history